


Creatures of Light and Darkness

by mhood97 (HowNovel)



Category: Forever Knight, Starman (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1994-09-14
Updated: 1994-09-14
Packaged: 2017-11-09 23:23:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/459641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HowNovel/pseuds/mhood97
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Paul and Knight become friends and unite against Fox.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Creatures of Light and Darkness

Creatures of Light and Darkness  
FOREVER KNIGHT

by mhood97  
Copyright © 1994

 

TEASER.

FADE IN.

ESTABLISHING SHOT: Sunset over Toronto

EXT. MUSEUM OF SCIENCE LECTURE HALL, Dusk

Single students and small groups of casually dressed people approach this stone edifice.

 

CLOSE ON SIGN:

“C. Edward Barrett speaks tonight on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. 6 p.m.”

 

BACK TO SCENE:

FOLLOW a tall, handsome, kindly man, PAUL FORRESTER (STARMAN), approaching the Museum, walking alone. He carries a camera in a case hung around his neck.

 

EXT. MUSEUM’S TICKET BOOTH

Forrester presents a press pass to the friendly TICKET TAKER.

PAUL  
Hi. I’m with the Post. I’m here to take some publicity shots?

The Ticket Taker looks at the pass, smiles.

TICKET TAKER  
Sure, Mr. Forrester. Go right on in.

Forrester takes his ticket and smiles sweetly.

 

INT. LECTURE HALL

This hall is fairly modest, seating about a hundred people. Forrester enters from the side door, noting the exits at the back for each aisle, and one to stage right, opening onto a hallway which can be seen from the audience’s POV.

He looks around at the people already there (a sprinkling of early attendees) and then he looks at the stage.

Near the podium on the stage is a flip chart.

He climbs up to the stage, and starts flipping through the chart, stopping at one page.

He frowns, scans over this chart of star positions.

PAUL  
(to himself)  
Oh. Oh, this is the approach to Deneb from Earth.

BARRETT (V.O.)  
Well, I’m glad they sent somebody knowledgeable.

Forrester, not startled, turns to see C. EDWARD BARRETT, a fiftyish professor-type, with a salt-and-pepper beard.

Forrester puts out his hand to shake Barrett’s.

PAUL  
Hi. I’m Paul Forrester.

Barrett shakes hands, not interested.

BARRETT  
That’s nice. Now, I have a lecture to give in thirty minutes. I appreciate the publicity, but we really need to get this over quickly.

PAUL  
Sure. That’s fine.

He picks up his camera.

PAUL  
(continuing)  
Why don’t you, uh, stand behind the podium.

Barrett goes there. He poses pompously.

Forrester flashes the camera, moves, takes a few more shots.

PAUL  
(continuing)  
Now, stand by the…

He points at the flip chart.

Barrett goes there, flips the chart to the first page fussily. He stands there stiffly.

Forrester takes more flash shots. Barrett’s eyes go glassy from the light barrage.

 

SLOW MOTION:

Barrett focuses on something behind Paul—something horrifying. His face contorts.

A GUNSHOT.

Paul continues taking pictures, but a blue glow surrounds him as he sidesteps, and turns around, taking another picture.

 

BACK TO REGULAR SPEED:

Barrett looks surprised, clutches his chest, falls face down, dead. Blood leaks out from under his body. There’s a hole in the flip chart.

Paul looks into the open door into the hallway. Nobody’s there.

Paul, compassionate, rushes to the body, touches him, rolls him over. He closes the staring eyes.

All around him, people are reacting, screaming, etc. (Ad-lib)

PAUL  
I think…somebody should call the police.

On Paul,

FADE OUT.

END OF TEASER.

 

ACT ONE

 

FADE IN.

ESTABLISHING SHOT: Toronto, Night

 

ESTABLISHING EXT: Museum of Science, Night

 

INT. MUSEUM LECTURE HALL, Night

The hall is swarming with cops now, the forensics team, ambulance guys, etc. The audience is huddled all in one section, in various degrees of upset. Some of them are being questioned by the cops, individually.

On the stage, Paul is showing FIRST COP how he moved the body.

Near the stage, the Museum CURATOR is wringing his hands and whining to himself.

CURATOR  
Oh, God, we’re going to have to cancel the lecture series and refund all the ticket money!

NICK and SCHANKE enter by the hallway door, greet other cops, (ad-lib,) and walk to where the body is still lying, face up.

FIRST COP  
(to Paul)  
And you moved the body?!

PAUL  
I didn’t know he was already dead. I wanted to help him…but it happened so fast. He was gone.

Paul is eerily calm, looking down at the body.

NICK  
Did you know the man?

PAUL  
No. I was just here to take publicity photos. I’m with the Post.

SCHANKE  
(mutters)  
Damn tabloids. They’re everywhere.

Nick and Paul look at one another then, and a current passes between them, something like recognition, without understanding.

Nick breaks the contact.

NICK  
Well, all right. Finish giving your statement, and we’ll talk to you more later.

Nick and Schanke move off to interview other witnesses.

Paul’s gaze follows Nick, as if every hair on his body is standing at attention.

PAUL  
(to First Cop)  
Excuse me, but is there something…strange about that detective?

FIRST COP  
Who, Schanke? Yeah, he’s a real—Oh, you mean Nick? Nah, he’s a great guy. He made Police Officer of the Year last year.

PAUL  
(a beat)  
Oh. Oh, that’s great.

ON Nick and Schanke, coming up to the Museum Curator.

CURATOR  
I can’t believe such a dreadful thing has happened. This is the most terrible thing that’s ever happened here!

SCHANKE  
So, was this guy controversial or something? Did he have any enemies? Do you think the little green guys did it?

CURATOR  
Certainly not! Dr. Barrett was a respected scientist! For a man of his stature to be gunned down—like a common—Oh, this is too horrid.

NICK  
Do you know of anyone who would want to kill him?

CURATOR  
No. No, it’s just so senseless.

SCHANKE  
Was he married? Did he have a family?

CURATOR  
His wife is in Boston. The poor lady. Someone will have to call her, and break the terrible news—but it…it can’t be me. I couldn’t face it.

NICK  
Someone from the Police Department will handle that.

Nick looks around at the lecture hall.

NICK  
(continuing)  
There are a lot of people here.

CURATOR  
Tonight’s lecture was to be the first in a series.

SCHANKE  
About what?

CURATOR  
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Dr. Barrett was a leading proponent in the use of radio telescopes…

SCHANKE  
Sounds like a crock of…

CURATOR  
He was very successful in getting funding. It was his life’s work, and his dream—to meet an alien before he died. Shattered by an assassin’s bullet! Oh, God.

Schanke, behind the Curator, makes finger-rolling by ear motions at Nick.

SCHANKE  
Somebody had to have seen something. (to Second Cop) Got anybody who says they saw the perp?

SECOND COP waves at a TEENAGER, huddled in the first row of seats.

NICK  
(to Curator)  
Thank you. If you have any more information for us, please call.

Nick hands the Curator a business card.

Nick and Schanke go to the Teenager, who is very upset, but is trying to be brave.

Nick and Schanke sit on either side of her.

NICK  
(gently)  
We’re with the Police. We’d like to ask you some questions.

She nods, sniffing into a tissue.

NICK  
(continuing)  
You were here when it happened?

TEENAGER  
(nodding)  
I saw the whole thing. The guy was taking pictures, you know? And then there was like this really loud bang, and then, and then Doctor Barrett, kind of fell over? And the camera guy said ‘Somebody call the police.’

NICK  
(very gently)  
Did you see who did the shooting?

TEENAGER  
Well, I was mainly watching the camera guy, you know? He’s like cute, for an old guy. But I did see this man—at the door.

She points to the hallway door.

TEENAGER  
(continues)  
And he’s got on like this trench coat, beige and all, and he’s like bald and—and ugly. Mean ugly. Crazy ugly. But—I wasn’t looking at him when the noise…I guess it was a gun, right? I mean it couldn’t have been anything else, right?

Nick nods. 

TEENAGER  
(continues)  
He killed him. You know, I never seen anybody get really killed before. I mean, I’ve seen lots of people die on television, but…it’s different, live and in person. You know?

Schanke pats her hand.

NICK  
We know.

SCHANKE  
We’ll need your name and address. And we’ll need you to testify in court when we catch this guy.

NICK  
Do you think you’ll be up to that?

She nods.

Schanke takes a note in his notebook.

They move away from the girl.

SCHANKE  
This is great. We got a witness! Poor kid.

NICK  
Now all we need to do is identify this guy, and catch him.

SCHANKE  
And figure out why he’d shoot the Martian-lover.

NICK  
If it’s not just something random and senseless, we’ll figure it out.

SCHANKE  
God, sometimes I think the human race is full of loonies. I mean, aliens, for crying out loud! What will they think of next? Bigfoot? Loch Ness monsters? Vampires?

NICK  
(with faraway look in his eye)  
I’m going to talk to that photographer again. There’s something about him…

SCHANKE  
Okay. Go for it. I’ll get more dope on the sky-boy.

They separate. Nick returns to Paul, still on the stage, looking at the bloodstained, outlined spot where Barrett fell.

Nick and Paul watch the ambulance workers cart the body away.

NICK  
Do you cover many shootings?

PAUL  
Not if I can help it. There’s, uh, a book with my name on it of photos of the Vietnam War…

NICK  
Oh! You’re THAT Forrester. An artist with a camera…

He looks at Paul with new respect.

PAUL  
I’ve…tried to put the past behind me, make a whole new life for myself.

NICK  
I thought—you’re American?

PAUL  
(proudly)  
No. I’m officially a Canadian citizen now. There were too many (a beat) misunderstandings, in America.

NICK  
So, how do you like it here?

PAUL  
I like it everywhere I go. There’s always something new, and beautiful…. But the best thing is I’m able to live with my wife and my son in peace.

Paul is very happy. Nick looks at him enviously. But there are undercurrents here.

They are each still trying to scope out the other.

PAUL  
Have you…been a policeman long?

NICK  
A few years. Why?

PAUL  
I used to have…a few run-ins with the police, and you’re not quite like any of the other officers…

NICK  
Cops come in all shapes and sizes.

Paul looks over the room, checking the truth of Nick’s statement.

PAUL  
I guess they do.

NICK  
(a beat)  
Did you know Dr. Barrett?

PAUL  
No.

NICK  
What do you know about him?

PAUL  
He was well-known in his field. He was a spokesman for SETI projects. I didn’t know him personally, and I’m sorry for that. We might have been friends.

He looks calmly at Nick, who begins to fidget.

NICK  
Well, be sure to give us your name and address in case we need to contact you again.

PAUL  
Okay.

NICK  
And if you think of anything that we might need to know, be sure to call us at the station.

PAUL  
Who should I ask for?

Nick, slightly embarrassed, puts his hand out to shake.

NICK  
Oh, I’m Nick Knight.

PAUL  
Nice to meet you, Nick.

They shake hands.

The moment their hands touch, Paul REACTS with wide-eyed, ears back amazement.

Nick snatches back his hand as if he’s just touched a hot stove. He looks at his hand.

 

CLOSE on Nick’s hand, which is burned, and smoking.

BACK TO SCENE:

Nick and Paul LOOK at each other.

Nick glances around to be sure no one else noticed. He takes out his handkerchief, covers up his burned fingers, and makes up an excuse for the injury.

NICK  
Well, that was quite a practical joke, but not, perhaps, in the best taste.

PAUL  
But I didn’t—

Nick grows more agitated.

PAUL  
(very gently)  
I didn’t mean to hurt you.

NICK  
You didn’t! Well, I have to go—finish the investigation—

Paul puts out his hand to stop Nick from turning away.

PAUL  
Um, your forehead is bleeding.

 

CLOSE on Nick, SWEATING BLOOD.

 

BACK TO SCENE:

Nick uses his handkerchief to blot away the red stuff. He looks at Paul in horror.

NICK  
What are you?

PAUL  
(compassionately)  
A traveler.

Schanke bustles over.

SCHANKE  
Well, that’s about everybody. Time to go and shuffle the papers on this one. (joking, to Paul) Giving him a hard time? Go ahead. He deserves it.

Paul looks from Nick to Schanke, asking Nick with his eyes, ‘Does he know?’

Nick shakes his head, then his face goes blank.

PAUL  
(to Schanke)  
I’m sorry. I don’t know your name.

Schanke sticks out his hand. They shake. No problem.

SCHANKE  
Schanke. Don Schanke.

PAUL  
Nice to meet you.

Paul looks at Nick.

PAUL  
Well, interesting, anyway. But, I’d like to go home now.

SCHANKE  
Sure, sure. We’re letting everybody out. But call us if you think of anything else.

PAUL  
I will.

Paul looks again at the bloodstained, outlined spot on the stage.

PAUL  
(gravely)  
Such terrible things happen on this planet.

Nick REACTS.

PAUL  
(continuing, to both)  
How do you stand it? All the violence of humanity?

SCHANKE  
We don’t stand it! We DO something about it. We’re cops!

He claps Nick on the shoulder, and sticks out his chest.

PAUL  
(not understanding at all)  
Ah. Thank you.

He leaves.

Nick is still upset.

 

INT. Nick’s Caddy, Night

Nick is driving along the Toronto streets. Schanke, in the passenger seat, is waving his arms while talking.

SCHANKE  
It doesn’t make any sense! Why blow this guy away? He’s apparently universally loved, respected—which is amazing for a UFO-nut—nobody knows of any skeletons in his closet, or bats in his belfry. The guy’s just a saint. Too strange.

Nick moves and stretches his burned hand. It still hurts.

SCHANKE  
You hurt yourself?

NICK  
No, I, uh. Just some weird pain. (a beat) I want to run a background check on that photographer.

SCHANKE  
Why? One thing we know—he didn’t do it.

NICK  
Yeah, but what if the killer hit the wrong target?

Schanke REACTS.

 

EXT. MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, Night

A bald man in a trenchcoat, GEORGE FOX, stands sinisterly, looking at the closed and dark museum. He is disappointed.

 

EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING, Night

Establishing shot. A nice, mid-range apartment building.

 

INT. PAUL’S APARTMENT, Night

Paul opens the door and enters his beautiful apartment. Everything is simple, elegant, yet inexpensive. The walls are covered with original paintings by the same artist. By the door the wall is full of many photos of a family group.

Paul closes the door.

PAUL  
Hi. I’m home.

SCOTT, a handsome slightly nervous, college-age young man rushes to the living room.

SCOTT  
What happened? Are you okay?

PAUL  
I’m fine. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to phone.

SCOTT  
I got your message. What was so upsetting?

They move to the dining table.

Paul begins to unload his camera equipment from the bag around his neck. He is patient and precise.

PAUL  
Someone shot…and killed Doctor Barrett while I was taking pictures of him.

SCOTT  
Oh, God!

PAUL  
Then the police came and asked everybody questions.

SCOTT  
Did anybody…bother you?

PAUL  
Can they, now that we’ve got our new citizenship?

SCOTT  
Dad, governments harass their own citizens all the time. And if they knew…

He looks longingly around at the apartment.

SCOTT  
(continues)  
I was just getting used to this place.

Paul tries to comfort his son.

PAUL  
I know we’ve been very happy here. But it’s just a place. What’s important is being together. I’ve never been happier than since we’ve been able to be a family.

He looks around.

PAUL  
(continues)  
Where is Jenny?

SCOTT  
I told her you were going to be late, so she went to bed.

PAUL  
Oh. Good.

He finishes with the camera equipment, and looks for a moment at one of the paintings behind Scott.

SCOTT  
What?

PAUL  
I haven’t needed to ask you about Earth things for a long time. But I met someone tonight…

SCOTT  
Yeah, so?

PAUL  
Well, you always told me that vampires—like in the movies—weren’t real.

SCOTT  
They’re not. Why?

PAUL  
I met one tonight. On the police force.

On Scott’s REACTION.

 

EXT. THE RAVEN, Night

Establishing shot.

 

INT. THE RAVEN, Night

All the regulars look like aliens.

Nick sits at the bar, hunched over a drink, still favoring his burned hand as he drinks.

JANETTE slinks over, kisses his ear, and sits beside him.

Nick makes an effort to respond, but can’t.

JANETTE  
Nicolah, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.

NICK  
And maybe I have. Or something worse.

JANETTE  
Worse than a ghost? Worse than a blood-drinking, malevolent ghost?

She steals his drink, and swirls it in front of his face.

Nick looks haunted.

NICK  
Maybe.

He shows her his hand. She gasps, and takes drops of the drink and starts dabbling it on his burns.

JANETTE  
What did you do to yourself? Stick your hand in a stray beam of sunlight? Nicolah, you really—

Nick grabs her hand and stops her ministrations.

NICK  
All I did was shake hands with a man tonight.

He looks more haunted.

NICK  
Or maybe…not a man at all.

On Janette’s REACTION,

FADE OUT.

END ACT ONE.

 

ACT TWO

 

FADE IN.

 

EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING, Night

Establishing.

 

INT. PAUL’S APARTMENT, Night

Paul and Scott at the table, as before.

SCOTT  
A vampire cop?! No way! You’re losing it!

But he stops at the look of wounded sincerity on Paul’s face.

PAUL  
Just like there’s no such thing as an alien living in a cloned human body with his human wife and son?

SCOTT  
Da-ad. (a beat) A real vampire? Eeeyuuu.

PAUL  
(serious)  
Yes. I—when I shook hands with him—

SCOTT  
You touched him?

PAUL  
He burned. I felt his pain. So much pain—he’s felt it for so long…

Paul looks at his hand.

PAUL  
(continues)  
The universe is full of strange creatures. Want to help me develop my photos?

SCOTT  
Yeah!

They get up and Paul takes his camera equipment. They go toward the hallway.

SCOTT  
(continues)  
So how old was this dead dude, anyway?

 

EXT. PRECINCT, Night

Establishing.

 

INT. PRECINCT, Night

Nick at his desk is reviewing a long computer printout.

Schanke, coming by the desk with a donut flapping from his lips, looks over the sheet, and gets crumbs on Nick, who brushes them off with annoyance.

SCHANKE  
Got anything on our boy?

NICK  
A long list of red flags from the U.S. Federal Security Agency.

SCHANKE  
Pretty hot stuff for a tabloid Jimmy Olsen.

NICK  
There may be more Clark Kent to him than we think.

SCHANKE  
Oho. Doth the great detective hath a hunch?

NICK  
(wincing)  
Please, if you’re going to do Middle English dialog, try to get it right.

SCHANKE  
And I suppose you could—

Stonetree wanders by.

STONETREE  
You got anything on that scientist yet?

SCHANKE  
Sherlock Holmes thinks the cameraman did it.

Stonetree looks his inquiry.

NICK  
Captain, there’s something really strange about him.

STONETREE  
(grunts)  
Well. You’d know. (to Schanke) Don’t just sit around like a lump on a log. Get some results!

He walks to his office.

SCHANKE  
‘Get some results!’ What does he think we’re doing? Reading the racing form?

Nick doesn’t answer; he’s reading the printout.

 

INT. DARKROOM, Night

Paul and Scott move with the rhythm of photo-developing. Their silhouettes glow a lurid red in the eye of the overhead light.

Paul is shaking a pan.

 

CLOSE on a developing photo of Doctor Barrett.

 

BACK TO SCENE:

PAUL  
Poor Doctor Barrett.

Scott is looking into another pan. He gasps.

SCOTT  
Oh, man. You caught him right as he was being shot.

PAUL  
I know.

Scott goes to the next pan.

SCOTT  
And this is the next shot?

PAUL  
Yes.

SCOTT  
Didn’t you say the witnesses said the killer wore a trench coat?

PAUL  
Yes.

He goes to look at the photo in the pan.

SCOTT  
(tense)  
He looks—familiar.

PAUL  
I’ll enlarge it.

He does. The picture develops.

SCOTT  
Oh, my God!

 

CLOSE on photo of the bald gunman in trenchcoat, holding the gun he’s just fired.

BACK TO SCENE:

Father and son look at one another in horror.

BOTH  
It’s Fox!

 

INT. PRECINCT, Night

Nick at his desk. The phone rings. He answers it.

NICK  
Yeah, Knight here. (a beat) Okay. Great! (a beat) No, wait!

He looks at the phone, hangs it up. He stands up.

Schanke, at his desk, looks at Nick.

SCHANKE  
What’s up?

NICK  
A lead on Barrett.

Schanke begins to stand.

SCHANKE  
Great! Let’s go.

Nick motions him to stay put.

NICK  
Um, the informant wants to meet me alone.

Schanke sits back down.

SCHANKE  
What a hot dog!

NICK  
I’m sorry. Next time?

Schanke cocks a pistol finger at him, fires it.

SCHANKE  
You better.

Nick begins to leave.

SCHANKE  
(continues)  
And you better bring home the goods!

Nick nods. He rushes from the precinct.

 

INT. PAUL’S APARTMENT, Night

Paul is hanging up the phone. Scott is dancing around him, very upset.

SCOTT  
I can’t believe you called the police!

PAUL  
I have photographic evidence in a murder case. I can’t not call.

SCOTT  
But we both know Fox wasn’t aiming at him. He was aiming at you. And what if they catch him and he says why?

PAUL  
Then they’ll put him in with the sick people, not the evil ones.

He starts to pick up a large manila envelope from the table.

Scott holds his arm, to stop him.

SCOTT  
You’ve put us at risk again.

PAUL  
We’re always at risk. (a long beat) It’s the right thing to do.

SCOTT  
I’ll be packing. I refuse to be caught flat-footed this time.

Paul looks down at Scott’s feet, then back at his face. This is an old in-family joke, but Paul is serious.

SCOTT  
(continues, explaining)  
Unprepared for danger.

PAUL  
That’s a good idea.

He goes to the door.

SCOTT  
Call me?

Paul turns. He loves his son, but he must go. He smiles.

PAUL  
I’ll be in your pocket.

 

EXT. ALL-NIGHT CAFE, Night

Establishing shot of a cheesy all-night hamburger joint, with booths in the windows. Paul sits waiting in a booth.

 

INT. ALL-NIGHT CAFE, Night

Nick enters, scans around, coughs a little at the cooking odors, then spots Paul in his booth. Nick approaches him, and slides into the booth.

NICK  
You’ve got pictures? Let me see.

He reaches for the envelope on the table. Paul puts his hand down on the envelope to prevent him.

Nick’s hand stops short of touching Paul’s hand, as if the memory of pain is a barrier.

 

CLOSE on Nick, looking baffled, at PAUL

 

BACK TO SCENE:

NICK  
(continues)  
What is it that you want?

PAUL  
I know the man who killed Doctor Barrett.

Nick smiles triumphantly.

NICK  
I knew it. He was after you, wasn’t he?

Paul drops his eyes a moment, then looks back at Nick.

PAUL  
I want some protection. Guarantees of freedom from harassment.

Nick leans forward menacingly.

NICK  
Why should I guarantee anything? What have you done to make this man want to kill you?

PAUL  
I don’t know why it is that humans want to kill. But I know why you do.

Nick goes blank with shock and denial.

The WAITRESS delivers a plate of food to Paul, who smiles at her.

WAITRESS  
(to Nick)  
Anything for you, sugar?

Nick shakes his head, eyeing Paul.

Paul takes a bite of his spaghetti.

PAUL  
When I first came here, I thought food was one of the most wonderful concepts—then I found out that I’d been eating once-living creatures. (compassionate) What it must be like for you, having to end the life of another intelligent being in order to maintain your own survival…

He shakes his head, and takes another bite of spaghetti.

NICK  
—How—?

PAUL  
When I touched you, I knew.

NICK  
How long…have you been here?

PAUL  
My first visit was twenty-one years ago. Seven years ago, I came back, to help my son.

NICK  
Your son?

PAUL  
I thought he’d be safe with his mother, but the American government had other ideas. George Fox had other ideas—and now he’s trying to kill me.

Paul leans forward.

PAUL  
(continues)  
I never meant him any harm, but I don’t want him to hurt my son—or my wife. We came to Canada to get away from his persecution—but now he’s here, too. And he has to be stopped, before he hurts someone else, like Doctor Barrett, again.

NICK  
Maybe Fox has good reason to fear you.

PAUL  
No. There’s never a good reason to fear.

NICK  
(even more menacing)  
There’s not?

PAUL  
(unflinching)  
No. Except where there’s no understanding. I understand that some people here don’t want to know very much, or accept ideas that are different from what they’re comfortable with; but it’s a big universe. There’s room for all of us.

NICK  
(a beat, hopeful)  
Even me? (another beat) How generous of you.

Paul doesn’t get the sarcasm. He looks out the window, and his eyes grow big with surprise.

Nick sees Paul’s face, looks out the window, sees George Fox raising his gun, ready to fire, and jumps over the table in front of Paul as the window SHATTERS to the sound of a GUNSHOT.

Glass flies TINKLING everywhere, patrons of the cafe SCREAM, the gunman’s FOOTSTEPS RUN AWAY, and Nick GROANS.

Nick’s face, in contact with Paul, is beginning to smoke again. He pushes himself away and jumps through the broken window, after the assailant.

Paul carefully picks up the envelope from the cascades of broken glass on the table. He is unharmed except for a small cut on his face. He brushes broken glass out of his hair.

The waitress, very shaken, peeks around the booth edge.

WAITRESS  
Are you okay?

PAUL  
Yes. But I think you should call the police.

As she leaves,

PAUL  
(continuing)  
I’m saying that a lot lately.

 

EXT. ALL-NIGHT CAFE, Night

Paul stands on the sidewalk in front of the broken window. Inside the cafe, the customers are still in an uproar.

Paul looks around.

PAUL  
Detective Knight?

Paul sees an alley beside the cafe.

 

EXT. ALLEY, Night

Paul enters the alley. Nick lands from flying. Paul watches him without amazement.

NICK  
He got away! So fast!

PAUL  
Are you all right?

Nick brushes at his shredded coat; he’s got a bullet hole in his shirt, and broken glass in his hair. He shrugs, and bits of glass fall off him. His face has a big red burn mark. He touches it and winces.

NICK  
I’m fine everywhere except where I touched you. Why is that? What kind of creature are you, anyway?

PAUL  
A…blue light.

NICK  
A creature of Light…

He yearns toward Paul, and fears him at the same time.

In the distance, SIRENS coming closer.

PAUL  
Shouldn’t you…change your shirt?

Nick looks down at the wreckage of his clothes, and brushes himself off some more.

NICK  
Yeah. Good thing I’ve got a spare in my car.

 

EXT. ALL-NIGHT CAFE, Night

Later. Two police cars with their shining, turning lights make the broken window shine like stained glass.

Nick, in his new shirt, finishes giving a report, and directions to a uniformed cop.

NICK  
We have reason to believe the assailant was an American, George Fox. He’s armed, and dangerously psychotic.

The uniformed cop nods, shuts his notebook, and leaves.

Nick turns around and spots Paul, standing still amidst the bustle.

NICK  
(to Paul)  
You need to come with me to the station.

He starts to take Paul’s arm, but the hot-stove reaction makes him stop again.

Paul looks unhappy.

 

INT. NICK’S CADDY - Night

Nick drives Paul along the Toronto streets.

PAUL  
I don’t have happy memories of police stations.

NICK  
You’ve been in many?

PAUL  
All across the U.S. Between Fox and Forrester’s former life—say, do you mind if I call my son? He’ll be worried.

NICK  
Go ahead. Use my car phone.

PAUL  
He won’t be home.

He fishes in his pocket and pulls out his ‘sphere.’

NICK  
What’s that?!

PAUL  
It’s kind of like a Swiss-army knife.

Paul positions it in his palm, and starts concentrating on it. It starts to glow blue.

Nick MOANS, throws up his hand to protect his eyes from the light, swerves the car, and brings it to a screeching halt at the nearest curb, heedless of the near collision he just caused with the car behind him.

The rocking car has shaken the sphere out of Paul’s hand. The blue glow fades.

Nick is PANTING.

NICK  
(mean with pain)  
Get out of the car. Make your call where I can’t see you!

PAUL  
I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to injure you.

He opens the door, and starts to get out. He holds out his hand and the sphere falls UP into his palm.

Standing on the curb, his head poking into the car, he looks at Nick.

PAUL  
It’s hard to be friends when you’re incompatible life forms. But it can still be done.

 

EXT. STREET, Night

Paul enters an alley. The entrance to the alley lights up with the BLUE GLOW.

 

INT. NICK’S CADDY, Night

Nick turns away from the glow. But he can’t help himself—he turns back again to look at the light, even though he has to watch it through slitted eyes and eye-shielding fingers.

The glow dims, fades out.

Paul emerges from the alley and re-enters the passenger side.

Nick watches him carefully.

PAUL  
I reached my son. He and my wife will go into hiding, until Fox is caught.

Paul closes his door.

Nick starts the car and pulls away from the curb, into traffic. He tries to be more friendly.

NICK  
That shouldn’t take long.

PAUL  
I hope so. In twenty-one years he hasn’t stopped chasing us.

NICK  
That’s a long time in the life of a human. It’s twice the time I ever get to spend in any one place.

PAUL  
I understand loneliness. Right now, I miss my…comrades. But when I went home, after meeting Jenny…they couldn’t understand how I had changed. I was lonely there, too.

They share a moment of understanding.

NICK  
I guess it’s time to do some Fox hunting, for a change.

Paul recognizes this as a joke, but he doesn’t get why.

 

INT. PRECINCT, Night

Nick and Paul enter through the double doors. Paul looks around curiously, following Nick’s determined figure.

At the interior window overlooking Nick’s desk, he stops, and taps Nick on the shoulder to stop too.

NICK  
What?

PAUL  
I can’t go in there.

NICK  
Why not?

Paul points to the man at Nick’s desk, talking to Schanke. Tall, easy-going, and not very bright, he is BEN WYLIE, Fox’s henchman.

CLOSE on Wylie.

PAUL (V.O.)  
He’s from the government. He works for Fox.

On Wylie’s inane smile and laugh.

FADE OUT.

END ACT TWO.

 

ACT THREE

 

FADE IN.

INT. PRECINCT, Night

Nick looks at Wylie disbelievingly.

NICK  
Him?!

Paul, however, is worried.

PAUL  
(whispering)  
If Wylie is here, Fox can’t be far behind.

NICK  
Okay. You stay here. I’ll be back in a moment.

He gestures to the spot by the interior window. Paul stands there. Nick goes in to his desk.

Schanke looks up, looking relieved and rescued.

SCHANKE  
Oh, there you are, partner. How’d your informant sing?

NICK  
Very messily. Sound and fury—

WYLIE  
Signifying nothing? Isn’t that Shakespeare?

Nick looks at him like a cockroach.

NICK  
I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.

Wylie sticks his hand out to shake.

WYLIE  
Hi. I’m Ben Wylie.

Nick just looks at him.

SCHANKE  
Oh, Nick, Wylie here is with the U.S. Federal Security Agency.

NICK  
A little out of your jurisdiction?

Wylie takes his hand back awkwardly.

WYLIE  
Uh, um, well, we’re looking for an—um, a man who’s violated the Federal Secrets act, and, um…. His name is Paul Forrester.

NICK  
Do you have a warrant for his arrest? Extradition papers?

Schanke looks at Nick like he’s lost his mind.

SCHANKE  
(to Nick)  
Ahem. Partner, can I talk to you for a moment? Mister Wylie, please excuse us.

Schanke drags Nick away from the desk where Wylie sits, over near the interior window Paul is on the other side of.

SCHANKE  
Nick, what is with you? Don’t you know any better than to antagonize a spook?

NICK  
Schanke, how do you know he’s really a federal agent? Have you checked his credentials?

SCHANKE  
Well, of course I have.

NICK  
And cross-checked?

Schanke looks stunned. But he counterattacks.

SCHANKE  
Why, do you think he’s phony baloney?

NICK  
I have reason to believe he’s connected to Barrett’s killer.

SCHANKE  
No way. Nyet. Unh uh.

Nick turns to go.

SCHANKE  
(continues)  
Don’t you pull this on me again, partner. We’re in this together.

Nick just looks at him, eyebrows raised.

SCHANKE  
(continues)  
You are such a piece of work! All right. I’ll cross check. (grumbles) God. You’re worse than Myra!

Nick, behind Wylie, points a finger at him, then the ground.

NICK  
(to Schanke, voicelessly)  
Keep him here! I’ll be right back!

Schanke nods his understanding.

Nick returns to Paul, and motions him to follow out of the precinct.

 

INT. NICK’S CADDY, Night

Nick at the wheel, Paul on the passenger side.

PAUL  
Where are you taking me?

NICK  
Somewhere safe. I’ll get the information out of Wylie, as to where Fox is; we’ll go arrest him, and then you can get back with your…family.

PAUL  
Thank you. (a beat) You’d like to have a family, too.

NICK  
Stop that. What I want or don’t want is none of your concern.

PAUL  
You can pretend it isn’t. And I guess, to live the way you have, you’d have to cut yourself off…

NICK  
Stop. What I want—more than anything else—more than life itself—is just to be human again. To watch a sunrise. To love a woman without pain. To be mortal again. To be free of evil.

PAUL  
Evil. What a concept.

NICK  
(a beat)  
Don’t they have it—where you come from?

PAUL  
No.

He wrestles with how to say it.

PAUL  
(continues)  
The closest thing we know is—destruction without renewal. And that’s an impossibility.

NICK  
(looks at Paul)  
A little lower than the angels…

They pull up outside the Coroner’s Office.

 

INT. CORONER’S OFFICE, Night

NATALIE is writing a report at her desk. She looks up as Nick and Paul enter, gives Nick a big grin, then sees Paul, and becomes more guarded.

NICK  
Hi, Nat. I need you to do me a favor, and, er, entertain Paul here for a while. Paul Forrester, this is Doctor Natalie Lambert.

Natalie is mystified, but she trusts Nick.

Paul extends his hand to shake Natalie’s.

PAUL  
Pleased to meet you.

As Paul holds her hand, he goes sad, and looks from Nat to Nick, then back to Nat.

NATALIE  
(to Paul)  
Welcome to the morgue. You shoot ‘em, we loot ‘em.

Paul REACTS, and looks around.

PAUL  
This is a laboratory. I thought all morgues had microfiche readers?

Nat looks her inquiry at Nick. They share an uncomfortable moment of silence.

NICK  
Paul is a photographer. He was the real target in the Barrett shooting.

Nat becomes instantly more sympathetic.

NATALIE  
I guess you’ll be safe enough here. Would you like a cup of tea?

PAUL  
Yes. Um, that would be nice.

Nat looks at Nick—guessing he’s not one of Nick’s ‘special’ friends.

Nick smiles at her.

NICK  
I wish I could stay, but I’ve got to get back to the precinct. I’m sure you’ll both find a great deal to talk about.

NATALIE  
Nick, what—?

NICK  
I just wish I could be a fly on that wall…

Paul stares and blinks at him. Nick leaves abruptly.

NATALIE  
(calling after him)  
Nick! Wait! (a beat) Ooohh .(puts on politeness for Paul) Well, pleased to meet you, too.

PAUL  
(quietly)  
You like him very much, don’t you?

NATALIE  
Excuse me? He’s a co-worker.

She bustles to where the tea cups and hot water are available, and starts rattling a spoon in a cup.

PAUL  
He cares very much for you. He’s just—so afraid of hurting you, in a moment of weakness. That’s why he keeps his distance.

Nat stares at Paul, outraged, yet mesmerized.

NATALIE  
For a photographer, you’re remarkably well informed. Who are you, anyway?

PAUL  
(grinning)  
You know, a lot of people have asked me that.

He takes his tea from her.

 

EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING, Night

Fox watches from the shadow of a tree, his hand in his pocket. His gun is in his pocket, too.

Scott comes through the front door of the building, towing his mother, JENNY HAYDEN-FORRESTER, a pretty, nervous woman carrying an armful of rolled painting canvases.

SCOTT  
Mom, we’ve gotta go now!

JENNY  
But I can’t just leave my paintings!

SCOTT  
You can paint more. Or we’ll win, and we can come back to them. But we’ve got to go now.

Fox steps forward, aiming his gun at them.

FOX  
That’s right. You’ve got to go now.

Jenny and Scott REACT.

 

INT. CORONER’S OFFICE, Night

Nat is standing at her examining table, shining a light into Paul’s eye as he sits on the table.

NATALIE  
That’s the most amazing story I’ve ever heard in my life!

 

CLOSE on Paul’s eye: As Natalie’s light is shining into his eye, there’s a blue light shining out, brighter than the light that is shining in.

 

BACK TO SCENE:

 

PAUL  
Even more amazing than that your friend is a vampire?

Nat steps back, turns off her light.

NATALIE  
Well, that was pretty amazing, too.

Suddenly, Paul jerks back, as if hit by something. He’s very upset. He jumps off the table.

NATALIE  
(continues)  
What’s wrong?

PAUL  
My son! My wife! (a beat, angrily) Fox has them!

Paul lunges for the phone, thrusts it at Natalie.

PAUL  
(continues)  
Here! Call Detective Knight!

 

INT. THE PRECINCT, Night

Nick is leaning menacingly over Wylie, seated at Schanke’s desk. Wylie is nervous.

NICK  
You know, your credentials don’t seem to be as impeccable as you claim.

WYLIE  
(bluffing)  
My superior knows I’m here!

NICK  
I bet he does. What’s his name, anyway?

WYLIE  
General Wade—er, no, he was in the last administration. It’s, um…a new guy. Cruikshank. Something?

Schanke, on the phone, is dialing. He waits. No answer.

SCHANKE  
(singsong)  
Nobody’s home.

Schanke leans his head close to Nick, and whispers.

SCHANKE  
Come on, Nick. He’s a doofus, but there’s no reason to harass him.

Nick winks at him.

SCHANKE  
(continues)  
You mean there is a reason?

Nick’s phone rings. He answers it.

NICK  
Yeah. Knight here. (a beat) He does? Put him on. (a beat, grim) All right. I’ll ask him.

Nick puts the phone down. He comes around to confront Wylie, bending to be face to face with him; his arms on the two arms of the chair, so Wylie can’t get up. He is holding in his menace, but it’s there.

NICK  
(to Wylie)  
Why don’t you tell me everything you know about the present location and plans of George Fox.

He starts up the HEARTBEAT of vampire mind-control. As he looks at Wylie, it FALTERS. There’s not much to work with…

Nick works harder at it. Schanke watches with concern.

WYLIE  
Um. He doesn’t tell me much. He hasn’t been feeling well lately, uh, since he was fired. He’s been moody. I tried to tell him, you know, government’s not a job, it’s a career, and he could get another position somewhere, but—he wouldn’t listen to me. He never listens to me! When I think of how many times we could have caught the alien by now, if he’d just listened to me…

His hand goes up over his mouth.

WYLIE  
(continues)  
Oh. I’m not supposed to talk about that. I’m not supposed to tell where Mr. Fox is, either.

NICK  
But you’ll tell me. Where is he? What does he plan to do?

WYLIE  
He planned to capture the mother and half-breed—I’m sorry. That’s what he calls him—and secure them in a safe place to lure the alien out of hiding. Then, he said, he would ‘terminate the pursuit.’

Nick REACTS.

NICK  
Wylie. Do you know what he means by that?

WYLIE  
(deliberately dumb)  
Well, I figure he’ll turn them over to the government for systematic study. That’s what we’ve been trying to do all along.

NICK  
Wylie, you know, don’t you, that he killed Doctor Barrett tonight?

WYLIE  
Mr. Fox wouldn’t kill anybody! He can be mean—and he doesn’t always pay attention to how other people feel, but, but—

NICK  
But you know.

WYLIE  
(devastated)  
When he came back to the motel room, he was mad. He said he’d missed, and then he cleaned his gun. He’d fired it. He was all…jumpy. Then he told me to come here, and try and enlist your help ‘Just like the old days’ he said. And…and I came.

NICK  
So where is Fox?

WYLIE  
I don’t know!

SCHANKE (V.O)  
(whispers)  
Ask him the name of the motel!

NICK  
Where are you staying?

WYLIE  
At the Surf Court Motel.

 

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SURF COURT MOTEL, Night

This is a low-class dive motel, by the harbor. There’s a light on behind the closed drapes in one motel room window.

 

INT. MOTEL ROOM, Night

Jenny is tied up to a chair, and gagged. She’s terrified.

Fox is just finishing tying up Scott, who is more angry than frightened, so far. Fox fishes out a small silver sphere from Scott’s pocket. He carefully keeps it out of Scott’s line of vision while putting it in his own pocket. He picks up his gun from the bed.

FOX  
Now you can’t do any harm. And we’ll just wait quietly here, until your sire comes, and then—

He cocks his gun.

FOX  
(continues)  
Then we’ll just eradicate this alien infestation once and for all.

On FOX, insane and determined,

 

FADE OUT.

 

END ACT THREE.

 

ACT FOUR

 

FADE IN.

 

EXT. PRECINCT, Night

Establishing.

 

INT. PRECINCT, Night

Nick, Wylie, Schanke as before.

Nick moves back to his phone, picks it up.

NICK  
(to phone)  
Surf Court Motel. By the harbor. We’ll meet you there.

He hangs up.

Schanke’s still holding his phone, from which comes a steady RING.

NICK  
(to Schanke)  
I think that’s one of their ‘non-working’ numbers.

He places his hand on Wylie’s arm, deliberately.

NICK  
(to Wylie)  
I think you’re coming with us.

WYLIE  
Where?

Schanke takes his other arm.

SCHANKE  
I think we’re going to see some harbor lights. Let’s go for a ride.

Schanke smiles at Wylie.

They all depart.

From his office, Stonetree watches with a secret smile.

 

EXT. TORONTO STREET, Night

Nick’s Caddy drives along.

 

INT. NICK’S CADDY, Night

Nick is driving. Wylie and Schanke are in the back.

Wylie is checking out the car.

WYLIE  
Wow. What a cool car. My uncle had one just like it. I remember one time, he took us sightseeing, he pulled a “U”-ie right in the middle of the road. Do all Cadillac drivers think their cars are armor plated?

Schanke rolls his eyes.

Nick looks grim.

 

EXT. SURF COURT MOTEL, Night

Natalie’s car drives up, parks quietly. Natalie and Paul get out of the car, stand waiting. Paul points to the lighted window. He looks grim.

 

INT. MOTEL ROOM, Night

Fox is angry, and nervous, pacing back and forth, cradling his gun.

Jenny, gagged, is crying silently.

Scott, not gagged, is biting his lip. He tenses, sensing something, then he becomes more calm.

SCOTT  
Look, why are you doing this?

Fox cuffs him. Jenny flinches when Scott is hit, but SCOTT doesn’t.

FOX  
So you won’t cause me any more trouble.

SCOTT  
We never hurt anybody.

Fox hits him again.

FOX  
Your very existence offends me.

He stalks over to Jenny.

FOX  
(continues)  
As for you—you collaborator—

He fondles his gun suggestively.

SCOTT  
You’re crazy!

FOX  
(tirades)  
I am not! I worked my whole life for an ungrateful government, protecting them—protecting the American people from menaces like you—and what thanks did I get? What respect did I get? Did I ever get any recognition? No.

He stands in front of Scott again. Scott watches him warily.

FOX  
(continues, quieter)  
Well, I don’t need their recognition. I don’t need their respect. I have my own job to do.

He smiles, unpleasantly.

FOX  
(continues)  
And if no one else ever understands that George Fox was the savior of humanity, well, that’s all right, too. I’ll know. And so will you.

Car headlights drive by the window, distracting Fox.

 

EXT. SURF COURT MOTEL, Night

Nick’s Caddy finishes parking. Nick, Schanke and Wylie pile out.

Paul and Nat come up. Paul points to the lighted window again.

PAUL  
They’re in there.

NICK  
Schanke, you tell the manager we’re making an arrest—then cover me?

Schanke nods, then hurries for the manager’s office.

Wylie looks after him, then at Paul.

WYLIE  
Hello, Mr. Forrester.

Paul spares him one glance, then looks back at the lighted window.

WYLIE  
Gosh, I’m sorry about this…

Nick doesn’t have time to notice this by-play, but Nat is fascinated.

They wait for Schanke.

PAUL  
(a little laugh)  
It’s funny—

Nick looks at him.

PAUL  
(continues)  
Being on the outside, with the police…

His head jerks suddenly.

PAUL  
(to Nick, fiercely)  
He’s hitting my son!

Nick unholsters his gun.

NICK  
All right. We’ll go in now. (to Natalie) You watch our friend here.

Nat nods. Wylie nods.

CLOSE ON NAT:

NATALIE  
(whispers to Nick)  
Watch him do what?

 

BACK TO SCENE:

Nick smiles briefly, then heads with Paul to the motel room door.

Paul has his sphere in his hand, ready.

Nick knocks on the motel room door, in his best police style.

NICK  
George Fox—Metro Police.

He doesn’t wait for an answer. He bursts through the door, breaking it off its hinges with his vampire strength.

Fox turns, fires his gun.

Jenny faints.

The bullet does no harm to Nick, but he vamps out, and appears by George, seizing the gun away from him.

Paul, right behind him, rushes to Jenny.

Scott is amazed by Nick.

Fox, with the apparition right in his face, is terrified into paralysis.

Nick tosses the gun onto the bed. He turns Fox and shoves him up against the wall, with his hand up by his shoulder blades.

NICK  
You’re under arrest for the murder of C. Edward Barrett, kidnapping, and assault with a deadly weapon.

FOX  
God! Monsters everywhere!

Scott looks from Nick to Paul.

SCOTT  
Way cool!

Nick gives him a warning look out of now-back-to-human features.

SCOTT  
Hey, Dad. Wanna untie me?

Paul’s been working on Jenny’s gag and bonds. She begins to wake up from her faint.

JENNY  
Paul? PAUL!!

They’re kissing. She’s crying. He hugs her gently. Then he starts to untie Scott.

Schanke gets to the door, sees all under control, with the Forresters being one happy family, and puts away his gun.

SCHANKE  
Thanks for waiting for me, partner.

NICK  
Can you take Mrs. Forrester out of here? See if Natalie can calm her down?

SCHANKE  
Yeah, sure. How come you get all the glory and I get all the clean-up work?

NICK  
I don’t know, Schanke. Someday, you tell me.

Jenny gives Schanke a resentful look. She doesn’t approve of being called ‘clean-up work.’ She looks at Paul.

JENNY  
Paul?

PAUL  
Everything’s going to be fine.

So she lets herself be led away by Schanke.

NICK  
(to Paul)  
Close the door.

Paul lifts the door back into place.

Nick turns Fox around, and looks down into the terrified face.

Scott comes over and retrieves his sphere from the pocket.

Both Nick and Fox watch cautiously until he puts it away.

FOX  
What planet are you from?

NICK  
(mean)  
France, actually.

With Fox looking at him, Nick starts up the vampire mind-control HEARTBEAT.

NICK  
You didn’t see anything unusual.

FOX  
(tries to resist)  
No, I— (goes blank) I didn’t see—

Paul interrupts.

PAUL  
(urgently, to Nick)  
What are you doing?

NICK  
Keeping my secret safe. Keeping you safe.

PAUL  
You’re tampering with his mind!

Paul, very ancient, very compassionate, very alien, looks directly at Nick.

PAUL  
(continues)  
I won’t allow that.

Nick can’t believe he’s being challenged.

NICK  
You won’t allow—?

Paul has his sphere still in his hand. Both Nick and Paul remember that its light can hurt Nick.

PAUL  
It’s wrong. Let him go.

Paul closes his fingers around the sphere. He won’t use it as a threat.

PAUL  
(continues)  
The thoughts of any intelligent being should be its own—not imposed by anyone else. Or it will be destruction, without renewal.

Nick understands, and relaxes his grip on Fox.

NICK  
(a beat)  
But what if he talks?

Paul pats a horrified Fox on the shoulder.

PAUL  
Who’ll believe him? The poor man’s been chasing aliens for years!

Nick takes Fox by the upper arm and hustles him toward the door.

Scott opens the door.

SCOTT  
Bye!

 

EXT. SURF COURT MOTEL, Night

There are a lot more lights on now. The manager, in nightshirt, stands by his office door.

Natalie, by her car, is hugging Jenny by the shoulders to comfort her.

Wylie stands nearby, looking sheepish.

Schanke, by Nick’s Caddy, has the radio mike near his mouth as he reports in (Ad-lib.)

Nick marches Fox up to the Caddy.

Fox turns to Wylie. He struggles in Nick’s unmoving grasp.

FOX  
Wylie! You traitor! You conspired with them against me! How could you? I trusted you! And now you’re on their side! The monster’s side! The alien’s side!

WYLIE  
No, no, Mr. Fox.

Schanke looks sidewise at Fox. He rolls his finger questioningly by his ear at Nick.

Nick nods.

Paul and Jenny and Scott hug.

Natalie smiles at them.

NICK  
(to Natalie)  
Can you give the Forresters a ride?

Nat opens her car door.

 

INT. NICK’S CADDY, Night

Nick is driving, Wylie on the front seat. Schanke’s in back with a still foaming at the mouth Fox.

FOX  
You’re all alien-dominated tools! Don’t you know they’re invading us? Don’t you care? And that one!

He points his chin at Nick (since his hands are cuffed).

FOX  
(continues)  
He’s a monster! Don’t you know you’re working with a monster?

SCHANKE  
Wow. One thing, he’s better than working with you. (to Wylie) How long did you work together?

WYLIE  
Years.

SCHANKE  
(to Fox)  
Man, oh, man, you are off the deep end.

FOX  
(to Wylie)  
Filthy collaborator!

SCHANKE  
Nick, would you step on it? This guy’s a royal pain in the neck!

On Nick’s REACTION,

 

FADE OUT.

 

END ACT FOUR.

 

EPILOG

FADE IN.

 

EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING, Night

Establishing.

 

INT. PAUL’S APARTMENT

The apartment is still beautiful. All the paintings are as before.

Lighting is low. SOFT FOCUS.

The dining table is set with lit candles, and is piled high with delectable food. Paul, Jenny, Scott, Natalie and Nick are seated around the table, having dinner.

Jenny is sparkling with happiness. Paul is very quietly joyful. Scott is a college student. Natalie is busily eating.

Nick only has a glass of water.

NICK  
(to Scott)  
So what are you studying?

SCOTT  
I haven’t decided what I’ll specialize in, yet. I’m still doing an overview of what’s available in the realm of human knowledge.

NICK  
Well, there’s a lot to know, and more of it every year. What would you like to do with your life?

SCOTT  
(smiling at Paul)  
Once upon a time my dad said I’d make a good teacher.

NICK

I’ve done some teaching, in my…younger days. It’s a wonderful profession. It’s very exciting to pass along the spark of understanding…

Scott nods.

Paul looks on, proudly.

Jenny and Natalie are in their own conversation.

JENNY  
Was it very hard for you, becoming a doctor?

Nat wipes her mouth with her napkin.

NATALIE  
I don’t know. Seemed like I just—fell into it. My mother’s a doctor, too.

Natalie looks around the apartment.

NATALIE  
(continues)  
You know, I’ve rarely seen paintings more beautiful—

Scott and Paul chime in at this.

SCOTT AND PAUL  
—outside the Louvre.

Nat and Nick look curiously at this. It’s an in-family joke.

PAUL  
Sorry. We can explain that later.

JENNY  
(modestly, to Nat)  
I’m glad you like them. They were all I had, for a long time…  
(to Nick)  
As for you, I’m so grateful to you. You came to our rescue just like a knight in shining armor!

NICK  
Oh, well, perhaps not shining…

He looks at Natalie.

NICK  
(to Natalie)  
But certainly, not so tarnished as it once was.

NATALIE  
I don’t know, Nick. A little more polish, shine the right light on it—

SCOTT  
And you’d have to wear shades!

Everybody laughs, except Paul.

PAUL  
A knight in sunglasses? What’s funny about that?

Everyone laughs more.

Paul joins in the merriment, even though he’s not sure why.

But—it’s good to be friends.

 

FADE OUT.

END OF EPILOG.


End file.
